For as inevitable as it seemed that Tua Tagovailoa would be the Atlanta Falcons' starting quarterback, Michael Penix Jr. is technically still involved in this QB battle. Obviously, the caveat is that he has to be cleared for 11-on-11s, and likely can't handle the demands of playing full contact football quite yet.
For that reason, Tua got the start in the Falcons' preseason opener, where they were trounced 27-7 by the Denver Broncos. And if anything, Penix should feel vindicated. The rest of the quarterbacks looked awful to the point where it's worth wondering if this competition hasn't been totally settled.
Kevin Stefanski himself has revealed that the Falcons are not yet ready to name a starting quarterback, and the only reason for that is because of Michael Penix Jr.'s status. And considering Tagovailoa struggled, he didn't have to lift a finger to start gaining favor in the ongoing QB debate.
Tua Tagovailoa's rough day offered Michael Penix Jr. one final lifeline
Before I dive any further into this, Tua Tagovailoa's performance does need to be taken with a grain of salt. He lost Jake Matthews, had Drake London for two snaps, and didn't have Bijan Robinson at all. Since both of his drives were hampered by awful right tackle play, he deserves some grace.
Even still, a snap hit him in the hands and fumbled it, so while he recovered, it's those sort of unforced errors that plagued him in 2025. And considering they're banking on the scenery change to help turn him around, it's not a positive sign that he still managed to make mistakes in such a small sample size.
However, rough day or not, it doesn't change the cold hard facts: it's no secret which signal-caller offers the Dirty Birds more long-term upside. It's the guy they drafted in the top 10 in the NFL Draft a little over two years ago. The same player who only has 12 starts under his belt in those two years.
The arm talent is there and the situation is improved with this new coaching staff. As long as the Falcons run more play-action in 2026 (which seems to be the plan), Penix Jr. wil be set up for more success, and we already know he has connections with Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts. He's entering a career crossroads, and how he fares this season will determine his future in Atlanta.
Tua has started to improve in training camp, but evidently hasn't done enough to be named the official Week 1 starter. And after he struggled in the Falcons' preseason opener, it doesn't seem like a coincidence that Stefanski has left the door cracked open for a healthy Penix to spark some chaos.
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